6 Quick Lifestyle Changes to Lower Your Cholesterol

With a few quick lifestyle changes you can lower your cholesterol.Consequently, your risk for further complications will decrease.

High cholesterol is a lifestyle disease. Along with diabetes, obesity and heart disease can be a challenge to your health.

There are a few quick habit changes that will help you take control of your health.Once your cholesterol comes down, you’ll notice so many more positive health changes.

What is Cholesterol

To understand how lifestyle changes can lower your cholesterol, you must understand what it is and where it is coming from.

Cholesterol is a fat molecule that we all need. In fact, it is a component of our cells and a precursor of hormones, bile acid and vitamin D.

All and only animal cells produce cholesterol.

The liver produces cholesterol through a series of complex reactions.

The total cholesterol in your body comes from your liver (75%) and your food (25%).

Cholesterol is a fat molecule. Therefore it does not dissolve well in the blood. To move around it needs to be packaged in a layer of hydrophilic molecules. This is how the several types of cholesterol are created. Those types are:

HDL- high-density lipoproteins

IDL- intermediate-density lipoprotein

LDL- low-density lipoprotein

VLDL- very low-density lipoprotein

All of them have different roles in the body. However, the most important to you from a clinical perspective are HDL and LDL.

HDL molecules carry two thirds of the total cholesterol. As a result, it helps it move through the body. In the same time, LDL takes and returns the excess cholesterol to the liver. The liver excretes the cholesterol.

What happens when you have too much LDL? The fat molecules clog the blood vessels, therefore the risk of suffering from heart disease, stroke or peripheral vascular disease increases.

What can you do about it?

What are the lifestyle changes that you can implement now to lower your cholesterol? Above all, the same changes can help you prevent developing high cholesterol levels in your blood.

Studies show that moderate weight loss decreases the production of new cholesterol. However it does not change the absorption of cholesterol from your diet.

In conclusion, there are lifestyle changes to help lower your cholesterol.

Starting from improving your diet to reducing your stress, small steps can lead to great achievements. With this 6 lifestyle changes in mind, I have to point out that a plant based diet can significantly improve your health. Not only that, but the results will be quick. Read his story to see only one of the many examples of success.

If you are thinking of attempting a vegan/plant based diet, here are a few reasons why you should do it.

Please leave a comment and tell me if you think any of the above lifestyle changes are achievable.